AbbVie Sues To Restrict 340B Definition Of Patient

AbbVie filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Health Resources and Services Administration to challenge how HRSA defines a “patient” for purposes of the 340B Drug Pricing Program. The company contends that HRSA’s interpretation allows covered entities to obtain drug discounts for individuals with minimal, outdated or loosely connected care to the facility, creating the risk of duplicate discounts and diversion. AbbVie seeks a declaration from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that its more narrowly tailored definition of “patient” should be applied to audits of covered entities by the manufacturer.